Toy or amusement device



April 26, 1938. H. MULLR ET A; 2,115,315

TOY OB vAMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed March 10, 1-'957 l 5 Shee-ts-Sheet 1 April 2s, 193s.

H., MULLER Er Al.l

TOYV OR AMUSEMENT DEVICE 'Filed Maron 1o, '1957 5 sheets-'shed 2 April 26, 1938.4l H. MULLER-Er A1. f 2,115,315

TOY 0R AMUSEMENT DEVICE ,Filed March 1o, 19:57' 5 sheets-sheet sv April 26,1938. HMLLER TAL 2,115,315

TOY on AMUsEMENTtDEvIcE Filed Maren 1o, 1937 -5 sheets-sheet 4 5 Shets-She-et 5 H. MULLER Er AL TOY OR AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Maren 1o, 19:57

7 as as April 26, 1938.

a detomation-device which may be caused to come threeweighted levers `as well as one or two Vblour- 5 5 rsanaaapazs, 193e 2,115,315

UNITED STATES PATENr OFFICE 'roy on anrusmu'r DEVICE Heinrich Mller, Nnremba'g, Karl Vogl, Muhlhoi an! d. Schans, and Fritz Sorg, Nuremberg, Germany; said Yogi and Sorg assignors to Ammann miren in, 1937, sum No. 130,186

In November 8, 1935 1s (ci. 46-210) This invention relates to toys or amusement de-r into eiiect, or of a sign or ligure to be swung -out vices and more particularly to toy-vehicles, such?-, of the body of the toy. as toy-automobiles, toy-airplanes and the like. 'g In the accompanying drawings, we have shown Our invention consists essentially in a novel conthree groups oi examples of construction of' our 5 struction and arrangement of a toy or amusepresent toy together with the blow-switch and 5 ment device comprising essentially a switch actui weighted lever orlevers serving for the control ated by means of a current of air blown therekof the toy. against, and a weighted lever actuated by gravity i Bald rst group oi examples of construction is and arranged to be locked and released by said represented in Figs. 1 to 6 and comprises toyswitch. Said lever, upon being released by said vehiclesor similar amusement-devices operated 10 switch, moreover, will drop by action of gravity, by means fof a blow-switch and weighted lever to actuateor release the driving mechanism of controlled by the former. More particularly, Figs. the toy or initiating some operating motion lgand 1a are'respectively a front-view and lontheleof. gitudinal section, partly broken away, of 'a toy i6. According to our invention, the toy or amusehaving theV form of a box, said toy including a l5 ment device may thus be operated in an extremedetonation-device actuated by a weighted lever ly simple and surprising way without in the least controlled by a blow-switch, Fig. 2 a diagramtouching the toy. Said blow-switch and said matic side-view ot a toy-automobile which is weighted lever co-operating therewith may be started by action of said blow-switch and said used, in addition, either to initiate a single opweighted 1eve r.` Fig.. 2a is a horizontal sectional 20 eration of the toy-which in case of toy-vehicles. view taken-'on the lin`e I-I of Fig. 2. Figs 3 to 6 driven by means cfa| clockwork may be considare diagrammatic views showing a toy set into ered as presenting certain disadvantages-or leaping motion by means of a blow-switch and preferably also a plurality of subsequent operaweighted lever, Figs. 3 and 4 showing in particutions of the toy. larvin a side-view and plan-view, respectively,v a 25 In orderto afford by action of said blow-switch skeleton of the operating members -of said toy and said lever a plural actuation of a toy such as in inoperative condition thereof. while Fig. 5 is 'a a toy-automobile, a toy-airplane or the like, that view similar to Fig. 3, showing said toy in tenis, in order to initiate and subsequently stop or sioned condition, that is in condition ready to to stop and subsequently again initiate the Vtravleap, and Fig.- 6 a similar view showing the con- 30 el of the toy, according to our invention there struction of a leaping toy equipped with a bloware provided two or more weighted levers, said switch-and a weighted lever controlled thereby. levers controlling the. motion of the clockwork 'lhe second group of constructions of toy-veof a toy-vehicle by being subsequently released hicles is of the form oi a toy-automobile or toyupon repeated actuation o! said blow-switch, thus airplane operated by two weighted leversV and.l 35

causing said levers to drop and to'initiate certain one vor two blow-switches controlling the former.` motions which at least serve to operate said More particularly, Fig. 'I is a side-view of a. toyclckwork in a manner to be first released and automobile with broken-away toy-body showing thereupon locked or vice versa'. parts oi the clockwork and other operating mem- 40 In this manner the toy-vehicle may also be bers, Fig.8 a top-view on Fig. 7 showing especial- 40 controlled by a plurality of blow-switches and ly the clockwork mounted on the base-plate oi weighted levers actuated thereby, for instance in the toy-automobile, Figs. 9 and l0 are detail-views such a manner that the toy-vehicle will either showing several operating positions of the toy be stopped when travelling, or set into motion shown in- Figs. 7; and 8, Fig. 11 isv a bottom-view from conditonofrest. showing the blow-switch forming part of said i5 Furthermore, according to our invention also toy, said blow-switch consisting essentially of a more than two weighted levers, for instance plate or membrane, Fig. 12 a side-view, partly three, four or more levers may be used in which broken away, of a toy-vehicle in the form of an case the action of the third or fourth lever may airplane. 13 a similar top-view taken onFig'. either compensate the eiect of a previously actu- 12, and Fig. 14 a front-view of the toy shown in 50.

ated lever or initiate some additional motion of Figs- 12 Vand 13. I l 'the toy-vehicle or also serve to' control some ad- The third group of constructions of toy-vehicles dltional device formingpart ofthe fueh adshown in Figa-.15 to 17 comprises -toys in the. form ditional device may, for instance, consist of a of an. automobile or ot an airplane comprising switches controlling the former. 4More particupart, and Fig. 17 a partly broken-away top-viewv of a toy in the form of an airplane.

In al1 forms of construction of our present toy,

there is provided'throughout a locking-device 2,

3, l consisting of a double-armed lever that may be actuated by an air-current or harshly pronounced word blown or spoken against said locking-device which in other words is constructed as a .blow-switch. 'I'his blow-switch co-operates with at least one weighted lever 6 swingable about its pivot 1, saidl lever being kept in erected position by means of said blow-switch and caused to exert the controlling motion proper upon the toy by action of its falling motion, that is when released by said blow-switch.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1 the toy is formed in the manner of a box and consists oi an outer sleeve A which surrolmds a box-like body I.-v In this box-like body there is mounted a weighted lever I, preferably of U-shaped crosssection and swingable about its pivotv 1. At its upper end said lever l carries a small weight, for instance, in the form of a hammer i', which when being dropped will hit against an anvil 2l, said anvil comprising a socket for the reception of a percussion-cap, primer or the like producing a detonation.

The weighted lever 6 is kept in position by a blow-switch consisting of said double-armed lever having arms 3, 4, said lever being swingable about its pivot 2. As shown in Fig. 2, said lever is provided at its left-hand end 3 with a nose or detent engaging with the upper end of said lever 6 to keep the latter in inoperative that is in erected position. Moreover, the operating surface of said blow-switch is provided on` the right-hand arm I of said double-armed lever `and thus forms the upper wall la of said boxsurfaceof said blow-switch due to an air-current or a word blown or. spoken thereagainst the lever 6 will be released by said nose or det'ent and caused to drop so that the hammer 6' will hit against the socket in said anvil 2l. The blowswitch may also be operated andthe Vlever l released thereby, besides by an air-current or a spoken word, for instance by a water-droplet dropped onto the operating surface of the blowswitch. In every case, therefore, the toy may be controlled and Operated without in any way touching the same.

'I'he toy may again be .adjusted to keep the lever 6 in inoperative, that is in erected position, by drawing the inner box-like body l out of the sleeve A, adjusting said lever 3 into locked posi.- tion and inserting again said vbody Iinto said sleeve in a manner similar to opening and closingl a match-box. v

In the construction shown in Fig. 2 the weighted lever C swingable about its pivot 1, when released by the nose or Adetent willdrop onto the left-hand arm of a double-armed locking-lever I9 which projects with its right-hand arm into 'o the path'of motion oi' a'member 2l mounted upon an axle of the spring-driven clockwork and rotating with the latter. The swinging motion of the locking-lever I9 is limited by two stops 22, thus causing said lever I9 upon actuation by said'lever 6 to assume its position along the dashdotted line i9' shown in Fig. 2, to release the clockwork and impart traveling motion to theftoy. The weighted lever C is safely kept in inoperative position by means of the blow-switch comf prising the double-armed release lever 3,4 acting on said lever i. 'I'he blow-switch shownin Fig. 2 is similar to that shown in Fig. l. According to Fig. 2 swinging motion of the lever I beyond its erected position is limitedl by a stop I.4 The plate or membrane l formed by the one arm of the blow-switch will be set into a small swinging motion by action of an air-current blown thereagainst or by s ome other slight outer iniluence, such as spoken words or the like, said swinging motion now releasing said weighted lever 6 to drop and release the locking lever I! for the clockwork.

In the construction shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 leaping motion of the toy is initiated by suddenly releasing a spring that hadfbeen kept locked in tensioned condition. According to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the toy and its clockwork is surrounded byaframe I whichmayforinstance represent theskeletonotananimal. Insaldframe I there ismountedaboutapivot2 arelease lever 3, l forming part of the blow-switch. This release lever is properly mounted to permit slight swinging motion thereof, thus causing the locking end 3 of said lever to engage the weighted lever t swingable about its pivot 1, the erecting motion of said latter lever being limited by a stop 5. Hinged to' the lever i at the point 9 thereof is a rod 3 connecting said lever with a locking-member II swinging with the former. about the pivot i5. Said locking member II is provided with two guide-slots I2, I3, the rod 3 slidinglyvengaging at its end Il with said slot I2. A crank-lever I6, II' engages with its crank said guide-slot I3, said crank-lever representing the rear legs of the leaping animal toy, the spring I8 acting onto said crank by 'the intermediary of a small connecting rod I1. 'Ihe guideslot I3 on the locking-member Ii is equipped at its rear end with a step or recess Il which-serves to lock the crank-lever forming said rear legs if these have Vbeen Amoved into operating position shown in Fig. 5. In this position the spring i3 will likewise be under tension. while the lever 6 will be in locked, that is in erected position.

Iiv now a current of air is blown onto the out- 'wardly extending arm or membrane l of the blow-switch, the left-hand arm of ,lever 3, I now will be caused to swing slightly downward and its end 3y will release the formerly locked weighted lever 6 which now drops swinging'about its pivot Si, at the same time exerting'a pull on the locking member II by way of rod l, the step vorrecessMintheslotllbeingnowliftedto -or some other' suillciently strong but not'rigid material, as is assumed especially in the construction represented inv Fig. 6. .Y

In this construction the rod l connecting the weighted lever I with the locking member `II is dis p ensed withf According to. Fig. 6 the locking member Il swingable about the pivot I5 is provided only with one guide-slot i3 including a step Y the legs It, Il'.

in the aforedescribed constructions of toys only a single operation takes place, subsequent to which the toy is again moved into position ready for operation, it will be possible especially in case of toys comprising a spring-driven clock-- work to effect also a plurality of operations by action of said blow-switch, two or more weighted leversbeirgusedforthispurposeasmaybeseen from Figs. 7 to 17.

In the construction of toy according to Figs. 'I to 14, there are provided two weighted levers i, i' placed side-by-side in Athe casing of the clockwork I, said levers being mounted at their foot-end freely swingable about a pivot 1. 'I'heV upper ends of the weighted levers i, l! are locked lby a blow-switch 4 swingable about a pivot 2,

said blow-switch engaging with its front lockingarm the upper endso! the levers 6, t', locking noses 3, 2' being provided on said arm for this purpose.

In the construction shown in Figs. 'I to 1l there i are two locking noses I, I' on the prolonged release or locking lever or membrane 4 of the blowswitch, said lever being kept in upwardly swung or locked position bymreans of a light spring or a further counter-acting weighted lever l'.

The foot-ends of said weighted levers C, i' are formed as pressure-cams adapted to engage from above with a locking-arm Il'swingable about a' pivot 23. Said arm II engages with its weighted front end Il' which is of curved conformation with -a cam-shaped rotary member 2i mounted on the last driven axle of the clockwork I. Within said locking-arm Il there are provided two locking noses which may alternatelyengage with the cam-surfaces on the member 2I to lock the clockwork I and stop travelling motion of the toy. In its erected position the one weighted lever 6 has a surplus of weight in rearward direction, that i's inrdirection towards the clockwork, while the second weighted lever C' has a surplus of weight in forward direction preventing at ilrst a tilting motion toward the rear. that is in direction to the clockwork. From this it follows that in erected position of the weighted levers 8, l' at rst only lever l engages with the lockingnose I on the prolonged release-lever of the blowsurface or membrane I of the blow-switch and thus is kept in locked. position. If now a current of air is blown against said surface or membrane l, the latter will slightly swing about its pivot 2. thus releasing the weighted lever I and imparting swinging motion in upward direction to the locking-arm i! by action of. the pressure-cam at the foot-end oi' said lever. 'Ihe arm Il now moves into the position shown in Fig. 9 releasing member 2i and permitting operation of the clockwork for starting the toy-vehicle." By action of the shock dueto acceleration of the vehicle the second weighted lever 6' will now swing towards the rear in direction agai'nst the clockwork and move into the position ready for dropping in which positionit Vis at iirst kept by the nose .2' of the blow-switch, as indicated in Vdotted lines in Fig. 10. A

If now a further currentofairis blown against the blow-surface or membrane I, a second swinging' motion will be imparted to the latter. releasing the lever I' which now owing to its surplus of weight will likewise be tilted to move in direction towards the clockwork. 'I'he lever I' now causes by action of the somewhat larger pressure-cams thereon a further upward swinging motion of the locking arm I! so that the latter with its nose at the end thereof will again extend into the path of motion of member 2i, thus again interrupting travelling motion of the toy. Now thecondition of the toy ready for travel is again established by erection of the weighted levers. Such erection of the levers may be brought about by tilting the toy downward over its front part or by reversing a special erecting member 2|, 25 as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, which may be done by hand.

While the two operations for starting and stcpping the toy-vehicle are eected in the constructions according to Figs. 'I to 11 by means of a double-armed blow-switch according to the constructions shown in Figs. 12 to 14 these two operations are eifected by means of a blow-switch made of two distinct parts. In this case two blow-surfaces or membranes are provided on the blow-switch each having a locking-nose for each weighted lever. The arrangement and mode of operation of the weighted levers in the latter constructions is the same as in the constructions shown in Figs. 'l to 11. Thetwo blow-surfaces or membranes of the blow-switch according to Figs.

12 toy 14, more particularly, are formed by the .two wings l, l. of the toy-airplane, said wings being each swingable about a pivot 2. The wings 4, l* extend beyond their pivots 2 towards the inside in form of two extensions or arms having4 noses 3, 3' thereon engaging with the weighted levers C, I' from the rear to keep the latter' locked in erected position.

'Ihe two supporting wings l. 4l forming the two blow-surfaces of the blow-switch are kept in normal, that is in locking position, by means of a spring. In case of small toys which are naturally equipped with relatively small wings acting asblow-surfaces evidently the member 2i destined for braking the clockwork acts with only a very slight pressure against the locking-arm I9.

In consequence `of this also only a very small pressure' due to a current oi' air blown against said blow-surfaces will be s uilicient toLbring about the. desired operation of the toy. The very small engaging pressure between member 2l andarm Il may practically be attained in every.case by choosing a high ratio of transmission and there# with a high speed of rotation of the member 2i.

.The weighted levers,4besides for controlling the travel oi' the toy-vehicle, may further be utilized fointrolling other devices, such as for instance de s for firing a shot in case of toys of the kind of tank-vehicles or devices for operating a signal or the like.

Constructions oftoy-vehicles with such additional weighted levers are represented in Figs. 15 to 1'?. In the constructions of toy-vehicles shown in Figs. 15 and-16 which are provided with a manually operated erecting device for the weighted levers. there is provided, besides the two weighted levers I, l serving for the control `of the clock work, a third weighted lever 0". The direction v2| adapted for the reception of a percussion-cap,

primer or the like 4causing a detonation, whenever the lever 6 is released to fall upon said anvil.

In erected condition of-the lever i", as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 15, said lever is inclined to present a surplus weight in ,rearward direction. The lever i" is kept in this position by means of a stop and prevented against forward swinging by athird nose 3" provided at the locking-arm 3 on the blow-surface or membrane 4 of the blow-switch. This lever, however, is still under action of its surplus weight acting in rearward direction and thus is not yet engaged by said nose 3". Engagement is brought about, if the toy-vehicle that had previously been adjusted to condition of travel is being stopped by a second blow-switch. By action of the shock exerted due to stopping the vehicle, the lever I" will be swung with its upper end towards the front and is now supported by the nose 3" of the lockingarm 3 of the blow-switch. If now the blowswitch is acted upon a third time, the lever l" will likewise be released and fall in forward direction onto the anvil 26.

Fig. 17 shows another arrangement of three weighted levers in connection with a toy-vehicle having the form of an airplane. In order to control the clockwork and therewith the travelling motion of the toy, there are provided on the one third lever I" which is locked by the half 4 of the wings forming the blow-switch, until said leveri" is released by the nose I forming partvof the v blow-switch. The falling motion of lever i" now may be utilized to release any desired further motion, for instance to eiect the raising or swinging of a landing-nag or the like.

'lhe mode of operation of the blow-switch comprising two blow-surfaces or membranes as well as the general operation of the toy-vehicle is the same as that of the construction shownin Figs. 13 and 14.

' 'Ihe additional third lever 6" in both forms of construction ot the toy according to Figs. 15 and 17 may evidently also be utilized, besides the aforementioned possibilities of operation, for any other purposes.

Similar'to erecting the levers i, 6' by means of amanual device 24, for controlling the clockwork, the third lever i may likewise be erected by a manual device not shown in the drawings. The current. of air to be directed towards the -blow-switch to effect release of the weighted levers may beproduced by merely blowing or speaking against said blow-switch. A toy-vehicle y may thus for instance be started by merely speaking a certain word, such as ofi more or less harshly against the blow-switch. 0r, in case of stopping a travelling toy-vehicle, for instance, the word fstop may be spoken against said blow-switch.

In all forms of construction 'of our'novel toy the blow-switch may be mounted in any desired position on the toy and is by no means confined to an horizontal arrangement as shown in the drawings. 'I'his horizontal ,arrangement of the blow-switch, however, is regarded as bei the most eilective, as it permits to direct the current l We claim: f 1. A toy consisting of a moving ligure, comprising a prime mover within the toy body, means for controlling the action of said prime mover,

, an actuator for said means, a blow-switch locking said actuator in inactive position, said blowswitch being fulcrumed at a point causing it to be sensitive to a small force to release said actuator, `whereby the application of a small force to said blow-switch will cause said actuator to act upon said means, to control the prime mover.

2. A toy consisting of a moving figure, comprising a prime mover within the toy body, means for controlling the action o f said prime mover, a weighted lever, a blow-switch locking said lever in erected position, said blow-switch being fulcrumed at a point causing it to be sensitive to a small force to release said weighted lever, whereby the application of a small force to said blowswitch will release said weighted lever and cause the latter to act upon said means, to control the prime mover.

3. A toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein said blow-switch forms a part of a surface of said toy to avoid conspicuousness o f said blow-switch.

4. A toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein said blow-switch is in the form of a horizontal surface to permit said blow-switch to respond to a current of air blown from above against said horizontal surface.

5.'A toy consisting of a moving figure, comprising a spring-driven clockwork, a weighted lever, a blow-switch locking said weighted lever in erected position, said blow-switch being fulcrumed at a point causing it to be sensitive to a small force to release said weighted lever, an arm for locking said clockwork, said arm being positioned in the path of falling motion of said weighted lever, whereby the application of a small force to said blow-switch will release said weight'- ed lever, permitting the same to fall on to the locking arm to release said clockwork for imparting traveling motion to said toy.

6. A toy in the form of a leaping figure, comprising a spring, a swingable locking member, a crank lever associated with said spring and cooperating vwith a guide slot in said locking member, to retain said spring in tensioned condition,

a weighted lever, a blow-switch locking said weighted lever in erected position, said blowswitch being fulcrumed at a point causing it to be sensitive to a small force, to release said weighted lever, whereby the application of a small force to said blow-switch will cause said weighted lever to act upon said swingable locking member to release said spring and crank arm and thereby impart aleaping motion to the toy.

7. A toy as claimed in claim 6 including a connecting rod interposed between said locking member and said weighted lever, whereby the falling motion of the latter will release said locking member.

8. A toy as claimed in claim v6 wherein said locking member is provided with an extension positioned in the path of falling motion of said weighted lever.

. 9. A toy as claimed in claim 6 wherein said'4 spring, said crank lever, said lockingmember, and said blow-switch are mounted essentially within a frame in the body of said toy, said blowswitch being provided with a tongue extending.- out of said frame, said crank lever extending out Y of said frame to form the rear leaping legs of `of said actuators.

said toy.

i 10. A toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said blow-switch comprises a blow surface consisting of a yielding material.

1l. A toy asclaimed in claim 6 wherein a reverse -swinging movement of said crank lever will' ,tension said spring and return said weighted lever to a position locked by said blow switch.

12. A toy consisting of a moving figure, comprising a? prime mov'er within the toy body, control means for locking and releasing said prime mover, a plurality of actuators, one of said actuators being active upon said control means to re- .'lease the prime mover, the other of said actuators being active upon the control -means to lock said prime. mover, a blow-switch locking said actuators, said blow-switch being fulcrumed at a point causing it to be sensitive to a small force,` to-release said actuators seriatim, to operate said control means.

13. A toy as claimed in claim 12 wherein said toy is in the form oi an airplane, and including a plurality of blow-switches each controlling one 14. A toy as claimed in claim l2.wherein said actuators are in the form of weighted levers` adapted to be erected and locked in diil'erently inclined positions by said blow-switch, said leversV having in this position different centers of gravity, permitting said levers to be released seriatim by said blow-switch.

15. A toy as claimed in claim 12 wherein said actuators are in the form of weighted levers, the second and followingof said levers being controlled by the ilrst lever and kept in condition ready for falling motion.

16. A toy 'as claimed in claim 12 including manual means -i'or returning said actuators to locked position. i Y

17. A- toy consisting of a moving figure, com- ,prislng a prime mover within the toy body, control means iorlocking and releasing said Aprime mover, a plurality of 'weighted levers, certain oi' said levers being active upon said control means to release the prime mover, certain oi' said levers being active upon the control means to lock said prime mover, and a blow-switch locking all of said levers, said blow-switcli being fulcrumed Aat a point causing it to be sensitive to a small force,

whereby upon successive operationsot said blowswitch, said levers are successively released to act.

upon said control means.

18. A toy consisting of `a moving ligure, comprising a prime mover within -the toy body. control means for locking and releasing said prime mover, at least two weighted levers, one of said -levers being active'upon said control means to release said prime mover, the other of said levers being active upon the control means to lock said prime mover, andv a plurality o'i' blow-switches iulcrumed at points causing them to be sensitive to a small force. each of said blow switches locking at. least one of said levers, whereby upon the application of a small iorce to either oi' said blow-switches, its respective lever will be released to act upon said control means.

19. Atoy consisting of a moving lgure, comprising a spring-driven clockwork, an arm adapt-l ed to alternately lock vand release said clock- ,.work, a plurality oi' weighted llevers normally vmaintained in erected positionand operable up- 

